Jemima Khan

“I am here because I believe in the principle of the human right to freedom of information and our right to be told the truth.” - Jemima Khan

Jemima surprised her native England when she married Imran Khan, Pakistani cricket legend and member of the country's National Assembly. After years of crusading with her husband against corruption and fighting for refugees' rights, she divorced him and moved back to England, where she found a new love in actor Hugh Grant.That relationship ended in 2007. She recently made headlines when she offered to post bail for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was arrested in London. Oh, and she also recently dissed Prince William's future bride Kate Middleton on Twitter, saying, "Kate Middleton -- those are not heir-bearing hips are they? Unfeasibly narrow.”

SEX APPEAL

In 1995, Jemima Khan married retired Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan. There was something quite fetching about Jemima when she was in Pakistan and appeared in a khadi outfit with a hijab exposing half of her head. Maybe it was the exotic contrast of a Westerner in Eastern wardrobe; maybe it was that touch of mystery that goads men to come and unveil it. After having two children, Jemima and Imran Khan divorced in 2004, and Jemima went on to date Hugh Grant for the next three years.

SUCCESS

Jemima Khan could have lived an uneventful, spoiled life, limiting her public exposure to the society columns of the British press. But she had a thirst for making change and a real desire to help people. So she left the comfort of her home and moved to Pakistan, where she became a political wife and an activist.

Standing by husband Imran Khan in his fight for a transparent democracy, Jemima also raised funds for cancer hospitals and other causes. Her high profile back home and connections to people in power made her efforts especially fruitful, and she was soon being compared to Princess Diana.

Also an entrepreneur and talented communicator, she ran a fashion business and wrote columns for some of England's largest newspapers. It is still her dream to pen a book.

Jemima Khan Biography

Jemima Goldsmith was born to a wealthy London tycoon and his mistress on January 30, 1974. Her father, Sir James Goldsmith, brought Jemima up in the height of luxury, raising her as a true aristocrat.

jemima marries imran khan Jemima seemed suited to the lifestyle that she was born into, and from a young age, she demonstrated a natural talent for horsemanship. But the girl shunned the equestrian life and chose academia instead, enrolling in Bristol University's prestigious English literature program. Jemima's studies further fueled her innate curiosity about the world, and her interests soon shifted to religious matters, specifically Islam and its clear messages about life on Earth. The faith took on even greater relevance for Jemima in 1995, when she met 42-year-old former cricketer and practicing Muslim Imran Khan in a posh London nightclub. The two fell in love and were married later that year in Paris.

The wedding reception was a real who's who of London society. Jemima, a philanthropist at heart, asked guests for donations to a cancer hospital in lieu of wedding gifts.

jemima khan the philanthropist The newlyweds moved to Pakistan, where Imran led the Movement for Justice Party, a political movement that aimed to root out rampant corruption in the country. Jemima quickly learned Urdu (Pakistan's official language) and began speaking at her husband's rallies, earning the admiration of the public and becoming a national sweetheart of sorts.

Jemima pursued her own mandates as well, urging women to participate in democracy, advocating the eradication of neo-natal tetanus in Bangladesh and raising funds for Afghan refugees. She traveled extensively throughout neighboring countries to promote her causes. Naturally, her enthusiasm for philanthropy prompted comparisons between Jemima and her one-time close friend Princess Diana.

Jemima's original dream of being a journalist came to fruition when she began doing special reports for Britain's Channel 5, and writing regular columns for the Telegraph and other UK papers. Her foray into print was somewhat controversial, as some of Jemima's pro-Palestinian views drew scorn from Jewish groups and even members of her own family. Such criticism did not sway her from her views, however.

jemima khan is accused of smuggling Jemima's increasing prominence and her husband's relentless pursuit of corrupt officials made many in Pakistan nervous, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Displacing dissidents by accusing them of serious crimes was commonplace in Pakistan, and it wasn't long before the outspoken Jemima was charged with smuggling antique tiles out of the country. As a consequence, she was forced to live in exile in London with her sons, Sulaiman, 2, and Kasim, a newborn.

The tiles in question were, in fact, Christmas presents that Jemima had purchased for her mother. She took them to several archaeological experts in England, and all concluded the pieces weren't even 10 years old. After 11 months in exile, Jemima was able to return to her adoptive country after a coup forced Sharif out of power.

imran and jemima khan divorce Among Jemima's various pursuits was a successful fashion business, the profits of which went to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. But she was forced to suspend business after the events of September 11, 2001, when her New York buyers canceled all their orders. She took her newfound free time to finish the education she had put on hold when she married Imran, focusing on comparative religion.

By that time, Jemima and Imran had begun to drift apart, and she returned to London to finish her degree. Though the tabloids insisted that their marriage was on the rocks, both Jemima and Imran denied it. By June of 2004, however, they couldn't hide it anymore. A spokesman for Imran's party announced the marriage was over.

jemima khan dates hugh grant Jemima laid low for a while, but the gossip-hungry British press quickly took note of her new friendship with actor Hugh Grant. Again, she couldn't hide the truth for very long, and soon the couple admitted they were deeply in love. More rumors swirled about a wedding, but they split in 2007.

jemima khan posts bail for julian assange

Although Jemima Khan is used to making headlines for her fashion statements, she recently made the news when offered to post bail for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was arrested in London. “I am not here to make any kind of judgment on Julian Assange as an individual as I do not know him and I have never met him," said Khan.“I am here because I believe in the principle of the human right to freedom of information and our right to be told the truth.”